Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -1613,29 +1613,17 @@
 		    ))))))
 
 ;; if it looks like a number -> convert it to a number, else return it
 ;;
 (define (common:lazy-convert inval)
-  (let* ((as-num (if (string? inval)(string->number inval) #f)))
-    (or as-num inval)))
+  (cmod:lazy-convert inval))
 
 ;; convert string a=1; b=2; c=a silly thing; d=
 ;; to '((a . 1)(b . 2)(c . "a silly thing")(d . ""))
 ;;
 (define (common:val->alist val #!key (convert #f))
-  (let ((val-list (string-split-fields ";\\s*" val #:infix)))
-    (if val-list
-	(map (lambda (x)
-	       (let ((f (string-split-fields "\\s*=\\s*" x #:infix)))
-		 (case (length f)
-		   ((0) `(,#f))  ;; null string case
-		   ((1) `(,(string->symbol (car f))))
-		   ((2) `(,(string->symbol (car f)) . ,(let ((inval (cadr f)))
-							 (if convert (common:lazy-convert inval) inval))))
-		   (else f))))
-	     val-list)
-	'())))
+  (cmod:val->alist val #!key (convert #f)))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; S Y S T E M   S T U F F
 ;;======================================================================
 

Index: commonmod.scm
==================================================================
--- commonmod.scm
+++ commonmod.scm
@@ -23,14 +23,25 @@
 (module commonmod
 	*
 	
 (import scheme chicken data-structures extras files)
 (import (prefix sqlite3 sqlite3:) posix typed-records srfi-18 srfi-69
-	md5 message-digest)
+	md5 message-digest
+	regex srfi-1)
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; CONTENTS
+;;
+;;  config file utils
+;;  misc conversion, data manipulation functions
+;;  testsuite and area utilites
+;;
+;;======================================================================
 
-(define (just-testing)
-  (print "JUST TESTING"))
+;;======================================================================
+;; config file utils
+;;======================================================================
 
 (define (lookup cfgdat section var)
   (if (hash-table? cfgdat)
       (let ((sectdat (hash-table-ref/default cfgdat section '())))
 	(if (null? sectdat)
@@ -40,31 +51,102 @@
 		  (cadr match)
 		  #f))
 	    ))
       #f))
 
+;; returns var key1=val1; key2=val2 ... as alist
+(define (get-key-list cfgdat section var)
+  ;; convert string a=1; b=2; c=a silly thing; d=
+  (let ((valstr (lookup cfgdat section var)))
+    (if valstr
+	(val->alist valstr)
+	'()))) ;; should it return empty list or #f to indicate not set?
+
+
+(define (get-section cfgdat section)
+  (hash-table-ref/default cfgdat section '()))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; misc conversion, data manipulation functions
+;;======================================================================
+
+;; if it looks like a number -> convert it to a number, else return it
+;;
+(define (lazy-convert inval)
+  (let* ((as-num (if (string? inval)(string->number inval) #f)))
+    (or as-num inval)))
+
+;; to '((a . 1)(b . 2)(c . "a silly thing")(d . ""))
+;;
+(define (val->alist val #!key (convert #f))
+  (let ((val-list (string-split-fields ";\\s*" val #:infix)))
+    (if val-list
+	(map (lambda (x)
+	       (let ((f (string-split-fields "\\s*=\\s*" x #:infix)))
+		 (case (length f)
+		   ((0) `(,#f))  ;; null string case
+		   ((1) `(,(string->symbol (car f))))
+		   ((2) `(,(string->symbol (car f)) .
+			  ,(let ((inval (cadr f)))
+			     (if convert (lazy-convert inval) inval))))
+		   (else f))))
+	     (filter (lambda (x)
+		       (not (string-match "^\\s*" x)))
+		     val-list))
+	'())))
+
+;;======================================================================
+;; testsuite and area utilites
+;;======================================================================
+
 (define (get-testsuite-name toppath configdat)
   (or (lookup configdat "setup" "area-name")
       (lookup configdat "setup" "testsuite")
       (get-environment-variable "MT_TESTSUITE_NAME")
       (if (string? toppath)
           (pathname-file toppath)
           #f)))
 
-(define (get-area-path-signature toppath)
-  (message-digest-string (md5-primitive) toppath))
+(define (get-area-path-signature toppath #!optional (short #f))
+  (let ((res (message-digest-string (md5-primitive) toppath)))
+    (if short
+	(substring res 0 4)
+	res)))
 
-(define (get-area-name toppath configdat)
+(define (get-area-name configdat toppath #!optional (short #f))
   ;; look up my area name in areas table (future)
   ;; generate auto name
-  (conc (get-area-path-signature toppath)
+  (conc (get-area-path-signature toppath short)
 	"-"
 	(get-testsuite-name toppath configdat)))
 
+;; need generic find-record-with-var-nmatching-val
+;;
+(define (path->area-record cfgdat path)
+  (let* ((areadat (get-cfg-areas cfgdat))
+	 (all     (filter (lambda (x)
+			    (let* ((keyvals (cdr x))
+				   (pth     (alist-ref 'path keyvals)))
+			      (equal? path pth)))
+			  areadat)))
+    (if (null? all)
+	#f
+	(car all)))) ;; return first match
+
+;; given a config return an alist of alists
+;;   area-name => data
+;;
+(define (get-cfg-areas cfgdat)
+  (let ((adat (get-section cfgdat "areas")))
+    (map (lambda (entry)
+	   `(,(car entry) . 
+	     ,(val->alist (cadr entry))))
+	 adat)))
+	 
 ;; (define (debug:print . params) #f)
 ;; (define (debug:print-info . params) #f)
 ;; 
 ;; (define (set-functions dbgp dbgpinfo)
 ;;   (set! debug:print dbgp)
 ;;   (set! debug:print-info dbgpinfo))
 
 )